NHL Stanley Cup Final Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 6/6
Hello and welcome, everyone, to the Stanley Cup Final on this Friday, June 6th, 2025, betting edition! Wagering on the Cup games is always bittersweet as it’s the pinnacle of the sport, but it means the season is coming to an end, and what a great year it was for me betting on hockey.
The Oilers took the Game 1 victory in dramatic fashion with Leon Draisaitl scoring the winner in overtime, but will the Panthers bounce back or finally crumble under the fatigue of playing in 3 straight Stanley Cup finals? Check out my best bet for tonight to find out where I am putting my money and enjoy the game!
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NHL Stanley Cup Final Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 6/6
Panthers vs. Oilers Predictions, Game 2
This series, through 1 game, has the look and feel of an instant classic as both teams battled into the late night in overtime that resulted in the Oilers drawing first blood on a perfect pass from Connor McDavid to Leon Draisaitl that we’ve seen so many times before.
Here are my thoughts on Game 1 and how they will affect this game here tonight, and how I will wager on it. As good as the defenses have been, offense took center stage as I had predicted it would, as the over on 6 goals hit a winning bet for all of us. The game totaled 78 shots over nearly 4 periods of hockey, and I thought both goaltenders played well despite the high scoring result. Bobrovsky was the busiest, having to turn away 42 shots in the losing effort, but he was still very good. At even strength, the Oilers carried play just slightly in the analytics department and cashed in a power-play goal as well. All in all, Edmonton finished the game with an expected goals mark of 4.504, and the Panthers fell short at 3.705.
With all of that being learned, let’s dive into Game 2 and what I am wagering on. Most of the games in this series are going to be a coin flip, as many have it going to 7 games, and each team has perfected its style of play. If it's close to a true 50/50 split, then I wonder why I don’t wager on the underdogs on the Money Line? That would be the Panthers tonight, who you can get from +105 to +115 on different sportsbooks today. They still have the more complete team and better goaltender, and if they can stay out of the penalty box, they are slightly the better 5-on-5 team, generally speaking. I expect Paul Maurice to make some adjustments tonight as well because giving up 46 shots is not normal for the Panthers, and I believe they come back swinging tonight and knot the series at a game apiece.
Pick: Panthers Money Line (+115 on Caesars)
Player News
Packers head coach Matt Lafleur said he’s “hopeful” Micah Parsons (back) can play in Week 1 against the Lions.
Parsons, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is “uncertain” to suit up for the Packers after being traded from the Cowboys last week. “We’ll see,” LaFleur said when asked if Parsons will be ready for opening day. “He’s doing everything in his power. Got to get through a couple practices to see how he responds, but certainly hopeful.” The injury doesn’t sound like one that will keep the star EDGE rusher sidelined for very long, even if he does miss Week 1. Parsons is set to join a Packers front seven that pressured the quarterback at the league’s 13th highest rate in 2024.
Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports that Kyle Harrison is not expected to start Wednesday’s game against the Guardians.
Well then. Speier reports that Brennan Bernardino is expected to open with Dustin May working in bulk. The expectation was Harrison would make his debut with Boston on Wednesday, but for whatever reason(s), it appears he’ll have to wait at least another couple of days. Weird.
Khalil Shakir (ankle) was limited during Wednesday’s practice.
Shakir appears on schedule to play Week 1 against the Ravens after sitting out for nearly a month with a severe high ankle sprain. He resumed practicing last week, and team is sure to be careful with their de facto No. 1 wideout ahead of the season opener. Shakir proved to be a reliable middle-of-the-field target commander in 2024, catching 76 passes for 821 yards and four touchdowns as Josh Allen’s main slot receiver. He’ll be a top-36 PPR option in Week 1 against Baltimore barring any setbacks to his ankle.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Mavericks and PJ Washington agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension.
It had been reported recently that the two sides were highly interested in getting a deal done this offseason, so Wednesday’s development is unsurprising. Washington was headed into the final season of his current deal, so the move solidifies his immediate future in Dallas as the Mavericks build around a core that now includes first overall pick Cooper Flagg. In his first full season with the team, Washington averaged 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.6 three-pointers per game. With the addition of Flagg, Washington will likely come off the bench, but he’s still capable of offering solid fantasy value as a versatile frontcourt option.
Pelle Larsson amassed 18 points (8-of-19 FGs), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and two three-pointers in Wednesday’s loss to Lithuania.
While Sweden finished group play at EuroBasket with a 1-4 record, they did enough to qualify for the Round of 16 thanks to Great Britain’s win over Montenegro earlier Wednesday. Larsson has led the way offensively for the Swedes, hitting double figures in all four games he played, surpassing 20 points on two occasions. His national team role may not align with what the Heat ask him to do next season, as Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are expected to lead the way offensively. However, Larsson should be in a position where he can earn consistent rotation minutes after appearing in 55 games as a rookie.
Jonas Valančiūnas accounted for 18 points (7-of-11 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots in Wednesday’s win over Sweden.
Having already qualified for the Round of 16 at EuroBasket, Lithuania ended group play with a 4-1 record following Wednesday’s victory. Valančiūnas finished the 74-71 victory one rebound shy of a double-double, showing the attributes that made the Nuggets so willing to acquire him from Sacramento to serve as Nikola Jokić’s backup next season. While that role limits Valančiūnas’ fantasy value, it gives him a far better chance of winning his first NBA title than he would have had with the Kings.